The Meridian Public School District has agreed to watch out for racial disparities in student discipline and the U.S. Department of Justice has agreed to dismiss complaints about a "school-to-prison pipeline."

Superintendent Alvin Taylor told The Meridian Star that his administration had already made at least half the changes requested by the department and was working on the rest when talks began.

The consent decree needs approval by U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate. The school board approved it unanimously last week, Taylor said.